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2013 Causey Award Winner - Reginald F. Wells

Wells was nominated for avoiding furloughs and reductions in force during
sequestration and maintaining a positive workforce environment. SSA has stayed in
the top 10 of its category in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
rankings since 2007.

Federal News Radio asked each Causey Award Winner to answer 10 questions about
him or herself so that we could learn a little bit more about them. Here's what
Reginald Wells had to say:

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

My folks gave me the best piece of advice I ever received. They taught me always
to leave things better than I found them. This advice has served me well in all
things throughout my life.

What is the worst piece of advice you have ever received?

Encouragement to believe in the Horatio Alger Myth of the American Dream is one of
the worst pieces of advice I ever received. There is no doubt that there is
reward and utility in hard work and perseverance. However, it takes more than
working hard and "keeping your nose clean" to be successful. The move toward
success begins with access to pathways of opportunity. It begins with basics like
proper nutrition, a nurturing home environment, a good education and a first job,
and it can hinge on what appears to be luck or perseverance. A person who is
interested in greater responsibility and opportunity must be willing to articulate
their ambition to those who can guide them and assist them in achieving their
goals.

I encourage people to find good mentors as an essential first step. Mentors are
important as you navigate the world of work in pursuit of your dreams. It is not
what you know, but who knows you know your stuff that matters. It is important to
master the art and science of self-promotion without projecting narcissism,
arrogance or overconfidence. For those aspiring to lead, self-mastery and
self-awareness are paramount considerations. A person should not be trusted with
the mantle of leadership without demonstrating the emotional intelligence required
of the servant leader.

Who has been your biggest role model, and why?

My mom and dad are clearly my biggest role models. As you might guess from my
earlier answers, they were hardworking, high integrity folks. My mother worked for
the federal government for 45 years and my father worked for a
factory and retired after 48 years. They instilled a sense of social
justice that required me (and my older brother who served as a Marine in Vietnam
and later as a medical doctor with the Department of Veterans Affairs, before his
death) to assist and support those who are less fortunate. My parents taught us
what it meant to be a good citizen in a civil society. They encouraged us to be
strong in our faith, to value education and to go as far as our hard-earned
credentials and personal initiative would carry us. Jim and Lorraine Wells
stressed the importance of balance in all things, and they encouraged us to
practice and uphold fundamental values and behaviors like honesty, punctuality and
fairness in our relations with others. My dad passed away in 1991. My mom is
still living independently and well in Philadelphia. As a retiree, she pays very
close attention to what is happening in the federal government. Consequently, I
have to watch what I say and do. She is not beyond giving me a piece of her mind
if she thinks I am out of line or failing to live up to the family standards.

If I could have one super power it would be …

As a longtime fan of Marvel and DC Comics super heroes, I appreciate this
question. While it would be cool to have powers like Spider-Man or Superman and I
would love to have total fun with my answer, I feel compelled to be a bit more
serious and thoughtful in answering your question given the significance of this
opportunity. Given the current state of the world, I would like to have the
ability to give precognition or "future sight" to all people who wield power and
make decisions in the hope that they would feel a greater sense of empathy and
responsibility for the consequences of their decision-making. Of course, my
answer presupposes all those in power have a conscience. So I will amend my
answer and say I would like to have the ability to instill a conscience where
there is none and then give them the ability of "future sight" just before the
decision-makers exercise their power.

In my opinion …

We are capable of living up to America's democratic ideals. In order to do so,
however, we must come to terms with our personal and institutional failings, be
forthright and honest about our historical shortcomings, and come together in the
interest of One America where compromise is not a failing but a virtue.

If you didn't work for the federal government, what would be your dream
job?

My dream job would be developing people for leadership positions through teaching
and executive coaching or playing jazz piano at upscale venues that pay huge
amounts of money. Of course, the latter would require me to have skill as a jazz
pianist and I currently lack that talent.

If resources were not an issue, I would motivate my staff with …

A budget that allows me to train and develop each Office of Human Resources
employee as much as necessary to fill skill gaps that improve their performance
and ability to support the shrinking Social Security Administration workforce.

The greatest federal HR challenge is …

For many people, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is the face of
government. SSA, like many federal, state and local government agencies,
experiences the challenge of acquiring, developing and retaining sufficient
numbers of employees to meet the needs of the American public. Increasing
workloads, decreasing budgets, pay and hiring freezes, sporadic hiring patterns,
and the barrage of negative rhetoric about civil servants erode public confidence
and the discretionary effort of the federal workforce. The greatest HR challenge
is continuing to meet the needs of the public and maintaining a professional
workforce.

What is the last book you read?

I rarely read one book at a time. The last four books I completely or mostly read
were "Atrocities" by Matthew White; "The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and
Peace" by Jack Kornfield; "The Warrior Ethos" by Steven Pressfield; and "Living
Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change" by Pema Chodron.

I'd rather be …

I love the expression "luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,"
so with that adage in mind "I'd rather be lucky than good."

Federal News Radio awarded five individuals with a 2013 Causey Award. Read more about each of the recipients.